


Talent and Hard Work

by Cumberbatch Critter (ivelostmyspectacles)



Category: Persona 5
Genre: Arcades, Fluff and Humor, Gen, Gen or Pre-Slash, Pre-Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-27
Updated: 2017-04-27
Packaged: 2018-10-24 11:24:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,557
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10740729
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ivelostmyspectacles/pseuds/Cumberbatch%20Critter
Summary: Instead of watching people, they go to the arcade.Unsurprisingly, people watch them.





	Talent and Hard Work

“The ambiance of this place is rather lovely, isn’t it?”

 _Lovely?_ Akira shot him a look. “It’s an arcade, Yusuke.”

Yusuke hummed in thought, eyes moving around the room. “I’ve only been to the one in Shibuya once. This one is a bit different, is it not?”

“Yeah.” He shoved his hands in his pockets. “Less people, too.”

“It is outside of the student pass zone?”

“Yeah.”

“Oh.” And there was Yusuke’s attention diverted. It had taken less time than Akira had figured it would, he thought with a smile. “What is that magnificent specimen?” There he went, taking off for the claw machine. “Such a rotund body. Arms and legs disproportionate to the body and yet aesthetically pleasing. Is this the appeal of ‘cute’? Look at those ears. It must be.” Yusuke chuckled, and there was a clinking of coins as he started to dig through his bag. “I’ve never played a ‘crane game’ before, Akira. Would you be so kind as to assist me?”

He was endlessly amusing, their Yusuke. Able to make the most strange of observations and then turn around and display endless passion for his work, and zeal for life itself. Suffering artist’s block one moment, inhaling an entire tray of takoyaki as he lamented over it, hurriedly counting his money as they walked through Electric Town. Being excited over a claw machine and a plushie of some sort of dog.

Akira acquiesced, crowding in next to Yusuke and watching as he fed the coins into the machine. “You just use those buttons to steer the claw. This one first, to go right, then this one to go back. Don’t let go of them until you’re happy with the position.”

Yusuke nodded seriously. “That sounds simple enough.”

Akira decided not to tell him that it wasn’t.

“First, right,” Yusuke murmured, pressing down on the arrowed button. They both watched as the claw began to move across the machine. “Now, back!” Akira jumped slightly as Yusuke slammed his hand down on the next button. He would have nudged him if he didn’t want to break his concentration. “And…”

The claw descended, metal prongs sliding along the fur on the plush dog…

… and then ascended without catching, gliding gently– and empty– back to the other side.

Yusuke inhaled sharply, tracking its useless progress with his eyes. “I failed…”

It wasn’t _funny_ , but the way Yusuke said it made him laugh, anyway. He just sounded so _disappointed_. “That happens,” he said, nudging his arm. “You should have seen how many tries it took me to get Wanna-Wanna-kun.”

“Wanna… what?”

“… nevermind.” He nodded back at the game. “Are you gonna try again?”

“I…” Yusuke looked back at the game, too. He was quiet for a moment before nodding, squaring his shoulders. “Yes. I will win that prize. I will best this game yet!”

They were attracting attention. Or rather, Yusuke was, with his passionate declarations of adoration and intent. And Akira still couldn’t help but laugh, leaning against the wall to watch.

  


 

“… I am a failure. A disgrace to the likes of all arcade games!”

“Uhhhh.” Akira glanced up at the small group that had stopped to gawk. Then he looked back at Yusuke, who’d dropped to his knees after the latest round of unsuccessful crane maneuvering. “Yusuke…” He patted his shoulder a bit awkwardly, then gripped at his arm to try and coax him back to his feet. “Come on, it’s just a game.”

“But it’s simple! I should win!”

“It’s really not. You’ve never even played before. Come on.”

Yusuke allowed himself to be stood up, glancing forlornly at the prizes in the machine. “… If you say so. I will accept my defeat. One must bow out with dignity, no?”

 _I’m not sure you managed that,_ Akira thought wryly, but he nodded all the same.

“I have to save enough for the fare home since it’s raining, anyway.” And yet he still managed to sound like he was sulking even while doing his best to mask his disappointment.

Well. Akira couldn’t let _that_ stand. His jobs had been lucrative lately. So had the treasure chests in Mementos. “You want me to try?”

“Oh, my apologies.” Yusuke swept his bag off of the floor to deposit it out of the way. “I didn’t even ask if you wanted to play.”

“Let me get change.”

“I’ll wait here,” Yusuke said, crossing his arms against his chest.

He was a deft hand at claw machines, Akira thought, as he collected his change. Mostly they were luck, with only a little skill, but he still had experience on Yusuke. He might have better luck. He _hoped_ he had better luck. Yusuke had already fed the machine more money than it was probably worth, but Akira couldn’t help it. He could spend his whole paycheck in this arcade, too, if he wasn’t paying attention. He _had_ to try.

It took four extra tries, and Yusuke practically bowled Akira over in excitement when the claw caught and the plush was dropped into the chute.

“Akira! You are magnificent!” he exclaimed, and Akira had to steady himself against the machine itself as Yusuke’s arm, thrown around his shoulders, knocked him off balance. “It only even took four tries. You _are_ good at this.” He pulled away then, ducking down to pick up the plush from the opening.

Akira chuckled, dragging his fingers through his hair. “It’s just luck, Yusuke.” The people that had been watching from earlier had moved on, but he still managed to be embarrassed from the praise.

“My luck is exceedingly poor today, then.” Yusuke straightened up, smoothing a hand along the plush’s fur. “Such soft, creamy fur. And the ears! So small. They match the paws. And the crimson markings. It has a true air of mystery, doesn’t it? And yet, brings happiness by being so cute.” He smiled gently, and held the plush out to Akira. “Well done.”

Akira blinked. He didn’t take it. “It’s for you.”

“What?” His eyes widened, eyebrows shooting up.

“I won it for you,” Akira said slowly. Hadn’t that been obvious? Oh, wait. He was talking to Yusuke, after all. “I want you to have it,” he amended, grinning. “You find it so aesthetically pleasing, yeah? Take it.”

“But… what about you?”

“It’s fine.”

“But you collect these. I’ve seen them, all along your desk. Are you certain…?”

“I’m sure, Yusuke, trust me.” It was just a plushie. There were bigger things to get upset over. Plus, he could always come back and win another one.

Besides, it was worth it to see the look on Yusuke’s face. The man practically started _beaming_ , all but hugging the dog to his chest. “Thank you. I can pay you back–”

“Uh, no,” Akira interrupted.

“If you’re certain.”

“I _am_ ,” he laughed, nudging his arm. “Come on. It’s gotten late, walk you back to the station?”

“Yes, please.” Yusuke swung his bag over his shoulder, curving his hand around the plushie’s head. “Do you mind holding the umbrella? I don’t want to get him wet.”

He couldn’t help laughing. Yusuke was already treating this plush like a prized possession. It was just a _plush dog._ It was cute, Akira would give him that (no kidding, he would come back to try to get one for himself). It was cute seeing Yusuke get excited over things. Art, takoyaki, plush animals. He was oblivious at the best of times, but by God was he expressive. It was… nice. Cute. Yeah.

“Sure,” Akira said, pushing the door open. “You’ve got enough for the fare, right?”

“Just enough, yes.”

“Good.” He held the umbrella aloft, letting Yusuke crowd under before repositioning it. “Ready?”

Yusuke nodded, and still didn’t let go of the plush. “Let us go.”

  


 

Five days later, arcade forgotten, Akira was hunched over his books at one of LeBlanc’s tables, trying to study– and not doing so well– for midterms when the shop door swung open. He sighed, planning to pack it in and go to bed. He needed sleep.

“Akira!”

Akira flinched, glancing up– and there was Yusuke, excitedly placing a plush dog on top of his books. “I won it for you!”

“Wha… what?” It was the same one Akira had won for him a few days ago. Akira blinked, looking between them. “You… won it for me?”

“To pay you back,” Yusuke said brightly, rocking back on his heels. “It took me a few days, but my luck finally turned. You can have one for your collection now, too.”

… He’d, what, been spending his afternoons at the arcade trying to win this? Akira hadn’t even had been back to the arcade, he’d been too busy. And Yusuke had _actually_ won it? He was… impressed. “Yusuke… how much money did you spend on this?”

“No matter. I spent a few days working in the underground. The shops are always looking for part-timers.”

“Yusuke…” Akira chuckled, reaching out to take the plush. “Thanks. I love it.”

Yusuke grinned, dropping into the booth. “Now we match.”

“Yeah… we do, don’t we?”

 

It gave him something to think about, anyway, after he had set it on top of his desk with the rest of his prize collection. It made him think about Yusuke, anyway, every time he looked at it, and he didn’t mind in the slightest.

 

**Author's Note:**

> I kind of am sad that we don't have cute social links. Or, well, they're fine as is, I just wish we had more time to do 'fun' stuff rather than just the SL plot. Like the 'let's do something fun!' but with an actual long scene. Idk. He's not even romanceable, so why am I complaining here xD His SL just seems more personal than Makoto's, who I just started dating ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯ like it's actually about him and his art rather than snooping on Eiko's boyfriend. I'm not hating on Makoto's, I just wish we would have _more_ with my fav lady.
> 
> I digress. I do not own _Persona 5_. Thanks for reading!
> 
>  
> 
> PS bonus points if anyone can guess what kind of plushie it was from its description >3


End file.
